1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination apparatus, and particularly relates to an illumination apparatus for displaying a specific shape with light emitted from an LED light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
An illumination apparatus in which characters, graphic symbols, etc. are displayed on a scuff plate or the like is known as a vehicle-interior illumination apparatus. For example, there is a scuff plate illumination apparatus configured by the combination of a display plate and a light source. The display plate is designed so that a character plate formed of a metal plate provided with light transmission holes having desired shapes (for example, an aluminum plate etched to be provided with through holes partially) is disposed on the light emission surface side of a light guide plate. The light source is disposed in opposition to a side surface of the light guide plate, or the like. In such an illumination apparatus, light emitted from the light source is introduced into the light guide plate through the side surface of the light guide plate, or the like, and thereafter radiated from the light emission surface of the light guide plate. Then, a part of the radiated light is radiated outward through the light transmission holes of the character plate. Thus, the desired shapes are displayed by the light from the light source.
An object of the present invention is to solve the following problem in such an illumination apparatus. That is, in the above-mentioned illumination apparatus, the character plate provided with desired light transmission holes is formed separately from the light guide plate. Therefore, dust, water, or the like, may enter a gap between the light guide plate and the character plate through the light transmission holes of the character plate. Thus, there is a fear that the surface of the light guide plate is damaged or polluted to cause unevenness in light emission, irregular reflection, reduction in light emission quantity, or the like. In addition, the light source is disposed at a distance from the display plate. Therefore, there is a fear that dust, water, or the like, enters a gap between the light source and the display plate. Further, the manufacturing cost of the character plate subjected to etching or the like is high so that there is a room for improvement in cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an illumination apparatus which is excellent in luminous efficiency and superior in durability. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an illumination apparatus which can provide a novel decorative expression.